Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

WHEN and WHERE On the onzon BRILLIANT OPENING A brilliant opening of "The Ten Commandments" lit up the sky over Broadway on Thursday evening. The first-night turnout at the Criterion theatre, headed by Cecil B. DeMille himself, included hundreds of the foremost leaders in the fields of education, religion, business and government, as well as top stars of screen, stage, radio and television. Also on hand were Charlton Heston, who plays Moses in the VistaVision, Technicolor film, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter and other stars of the film, which began an exclusive New York engagement at the Criterion on a reserved seat, two-a-day basis. IRON CURTAIN OPTIONS Bernard Kreisler, president of the International Film Associates Corp. , has disclosed the titles of some of the motion pictures involved in his deals with Iron Curtain countries during his recent trip into Western Europe. Mr. Kreisler reports conditional sales to four countries, depending on whether the offered films meet the standards of their synopses. Russia has taken options on 11 films, Mr. Kreisler said, naming only one, "Leonardo da Vinci." Poland has optioned 11 films, he added, Czechoslovakia seven and Rumania 10 under the same conditions. He also announced the acquisition of several Iron Curtain productions for television showing in the U.S. TALENT PAYMENTS Committees representing SAG, SDG and SWG met last week with an AMPP committee to renew discussions of a possible basis for additional payment to talent employed on post-1948 films sold to television. Discussions have been in abeyance for several weeks. Expectation in all quarters is that exploratory negotiations will consume several months, due mostly to increased budgets on features made since August 1, 1948, the cut-off date. MGM has completed arrangements with 15,000 travel agents in connection with the promotion of "The Little Hut," produced by F. Hugh Herbert and Mark Robson in London, Rome and Jamaica. The film will be released early in 1957. As part of the tieup, MGM, in conjunction with the Pacific Area Travel Association, will give away an island in the Pacific, and the winner of a limerick contest will be awarded the island, named Ava-Ava, in the crown colony of Fiji in the Pacific. It is completely habitable, with a furnished "Little Hut." The contest starts February 15, 1957. Loew's Warfield theatre in San Francisco recently sponsored with the San Francisco News a contest in connection with the showing of the MGM film, " The Power and the Prize . " First prize is five shares of Loew's, Inc., stock. To win, the patron is asked to try his prowess at forecasting and answering some questions about the stock market and other international affairs. MGM's "Bhowani Junction" has been banned by the tiny Portuguese colony of Macao, located on the China coast not far from Hong Kong. Reason given "not suitable at the moment. " Portugal is having trouble with India over the Portuguese colony of Goa, located on India's west coast, and is unwilling to show any pictures in Portuguese possessions which show India or Indians in a favorable light. In a white paper compiled by the Japanese Ministry of Inter November 13: Dinner in honor of Martin G. Smith, exhibitor leader, Deshler-Hilton Hotel, Columbus, Ohio. November 13-14: Annual convention of the Independent Theatre Owners of Ohio, to be held at Deshler-Hilton Hotel, Columbus. November 17: Washington Variety Club's 21st annual dinner dance and presentation of the "personality of the year" award, Statler Hotel, Washington, D. C. November 19: Annual convention of the Motion Picture Theatres Association of Ontario, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 20: Annual convention, National Committee of Motion Picture Exhibitor Associations, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 21: Annual meeting of the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 22: Annual dinner of the Canadian Motion Picture Pioneers, King Edward Hotel, Toronto. November 25-27: 44th annual convention of the Theatre Owners of North and South Carolina, Hotel Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C. November 27-29: Allied States Association, Fall board meeting and annual convention, to be held at Statler Hotel, Dallas. November 30: Eighteenth annual dinner of the Motion Picture Pioneers honoring Robert J. O'Donnell as Pioneer of the Year, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. New York. January 29-31: Allied States Association, national drive-in convention, Netherlands-Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, Ohio. February 26-27: Annual convention of the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Association, Pickwick Hotel, Kansas City, Mo. March 6-7: Second annual convention of the United Theatre Owners of Oklahoma, Biltmore Hotel, Oklahoma City. national Trade and Industrv, Japanese film-makers are warned that they are guilty of sacrificing quality for quantity and that they must use more color film and make better movies if they wish to stay in the export market. In 1955 Japan made 432 motion pictures. 165 more than in the United States, and in the first six months of 1956 she produced 276 so that the number for 1956 is estimated at over 500. STOCK AWARDS MACAO BAN JAP WARNING LITTLE HUT MOTION PICTURE HERALD, NOVEMBER 10, 1956 9